CrowsXGokusen FF – 2,006 words (about)

Everything happens for a reason

Part 1: How Things Began

There was absolutely nothing good about being a transfer student, Kumiko decided. You come in part way through the year, she thought angrily, and everyone else already has comrades, and they stare you down, and try to judge whether you're a threat or not, and it always comes to a confrontation! Sighing, she turned to face the boy who had called out to her so rudely.

"Nande?" she asked, trying to mask her irritation. The last thing she needed was to end up in a fight with these guys on her first day. She felt tired at this whole situation. Only a second year, this was already her third high school since becoming a freshman. Thinking back to how she ended up here in the first place, she felt bitter.

First, it was Momo Gakuen; an all girls school in the middle of the city. Momo High was well known for its bouncy, cheerful, super-cute female students. Yamaguchi Kumiko was anything but, and it was quickly made apparent to her that she did not belong there. So, after punching a third year honors student in the face, she was "relocated".

The second school was co-ed, but still completely respectable. She just hated it there; the school, the oh-so-high-and-mighty teachers, and the snobby students who looked down on anyone they considered lower than themselves. "Just because you're really smart or have tons of money doesn't mean you're the shit!" she had shouted at them. Once again, she moved on, having taught some of her male sempais a lesson she thought they'd needed to learn.

Now she was here. Her grandfather had suggested this school, telling her she might find it more to her liking. Because she respected him so much, Kumiko had agreed to give it a shot, and she had to admit, the school had a strangely familiar atmosphere. I reminded her of home. It was still in the city technically, but definitely not the good part. Still, it was closer to where she lived than the others had been. Suzuran, she thought smugly, admiring the name. The school of crows. Will I fit in here? Suddenly reminded of where she was, Kumiko snapped out of her reverie and focused on her opponent.

"You're the new transfer student, Yamaguchi, right?" the boy asked gruffly. She nodded, choosing not to say anything. Sometimes keeping her mouth shut was the best option. It helped her from saying anything stupid.

"I heard you got kicked out of two schools already," he continued, smirking. "Rumor has it you were chucked for fighting, but I have trouble believing that." He advanced slightly but she didn't even bother to shift her position. If this idiot thought he could take her on, he had another thing coming. What are you thinking?! she screamed at herself. You're supposed to be keeping a low profile!

Shit! That's right, she thought angrily. Damn it! Still, she had promised her grandfather she would keep out of trouble for at least a week, to give him some peace and quiet. Deciding there was nothing else to do, she reached up and scratched her head, brushing the shaggy short locks out of her eyes as she did. Trying to look puzzled, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Huh." Great… brilliant Kumiko! she snapped. Why don't you just stamp "baka" across your forehead?! "I really can't say that's what happened…" she made up quickly. The last thing she needed was for people at this school to try and find out stuff about her. They weren't supposed to know…

Her thoughts were once again interrupted by the loud-mouthed boy.

"You're just way to scrawny for fighting!" he mocked, pointing rudely at her, making other guys in the hallway turn to look as well. She heard some of them laugh and she tightened her fists angrily. Forcing herself not to rise to their taunts, she stood motionless and watched as the nasty boy left. Once he was out of sight and people had stopped paying attention to her, she slipped quietly down the hall and into the boy's bathroom, closing herself in a stall.

Picking up her thoughts where she had left them, she sat down on the toilet wearily. They're not supposed to know I'm a girl, she reminded herself sternly. Reaching up again, she felt her painfully short hair with a sad sigh. At least she had kept it somewhat long; trimmed just above her chin. The men of her house had found it absolutely hilarious when she had come home with the new haircut.

If she was honest with herself, she did pass for a boy pretty well. She had never had any curves really, and her flat chest made her almost indistinguishable from any of the other guys here. At first she had considered wearing glasses, in case it would help hide her long eyelashes, but then decided that it didn't matter. This is an all-boys school, she had told herself. Nobody's going to be looking to see whether you have pretty eyes or not!

Still, it wasn't as though she resented the change. Truthfully, Kumiko was so much of a tomboy that she didn't really relate to girls her age anyway. They always annoyed her, and guys at least weren't afraid to get dirty. Kumiko hated people who refused to work their hardest, and guys, she felt, were just more honest and hardworking. Growing up living in a household of all men had made her into a different type of person than your average girl.

However, like most girls, Kumiko did daydream, a lot, and this time was not different. Breaking out of her trance, she was startled to hear someone else come into the restroom. Keeping quiet, she listened as a man began talking and she realized there must be more than one person.

"I'm telling you, some of the first years are getting too out of control Hiromi!" the first man whispered urgently. "We need to do something about them before it gets out of hand!" The man called Hiromi sighed.

"Relax already, would ya? Everything's under control Pon. Don't you trust me?"

"Oh shut up, you know I do! I just don't like these little shits looking down on us like that!"

"They'll know not to mess with us soon enough. Right now, there's too much other stuff going on. We need to focus on conquering the second years." Kumiko continued to listen, fascinated. This is what I need to know! she thought, excited. Getting by in this school is going to be very interesting. She smiled to herself. These things, at least, she understood very well. Factions were no new concept to her. She leaned against the stall door, trying to see through the crack while remaining undetected.

"Right," Pon continued, a smile evident in his voice. "Classes A and C are going to give us the most trouble, I think. From what I know of Kamiya in D, they might be willing to join if we get more support first. By the way, did you hear?"

"What?" Hiromi asked. Kumiko saw him look up.

"There's a new transfer student in our class starting today. His record says he's been kicked out of two other schools for fighting." Jeeze! Kumiko huffed to herself. Is this all I'm going to hear all day? I didn't even rough them up that bad!

"Yeah, I heard. The name's Yamaguchi," Hiromi confirmed. "We'll talk to him today. Find out what kind of guy he is, and then see what we're dealing with. We don't need any conflict within our own class." Kumiko paused, going over what he had said in her mind. I don't really need to make a name here, she thought. They needn't bother, I'm probably just gonna stay out of the spotlight completely. She was so absorbed that she didn't notice a pair of boots belonging to a third person stop silently outside the stall door. Before she realized what was happening, the door was yanked open and she went sprawling to the floor.

"What's this, Mako?" Pon asked teasingly, addressing the silent boy. Kumiko cursed under her breath as she stared up at a tall guy who was frowning down at her. Another boy in a surgical mask, Pon, squatted on the floor next to her face, claiming her attention. "And who might you be?" he inquired with a nasty grin. "One of our energetic freshman, intent on listening to our plans?" He jumped up suddenly and she rolled to the side on instinct to avoid the booted foot that came smashing down at her face.

"What's your problem, asshole?!" she yelled, quickly getting to her feet. Sensing the silent one, Mako, coming up behind her, she ducked to the side to prevent him from grabbing her around the neck. He missed. Crouching low and darting towards the empty corner near the door, she saw the other boy, Hiromi, moving to block the exit. Out of arms reach for the moment, Kumiko turned to face the three boys.

"What's your name?" Hiromi asked, looking her over critically. "I don't remember seeing your face before, even among the freshmen."

"That's because I'm not a freshman, genius!" she pointed out rudely. Damn! Why can't I just keep my mouth shut sometimes?! "My name's Yamaguchi. I just transferred here." She stared pointedly at the three of them, letting them know that she had heard everything they said about her. Without warning, the boy called Pon burst out laughing.

"Honto ni?!" he gasped, "You are the infamous Yamaguchi?" Kumiko shifted warily as he came up next to her and hung his arm around her shoulder, still laughing. Watching the three of them closely, she relaxed as she noticed none of them were positioned to attack. Shrugging as if it made no difference to her, she gently disengaged herself from Pon and walked towards Hiromi.

"So, you're the leader of our class?" she asked. He nodded, his face blank and unreadable. "Fine with me," she informed him, giving a wide, toothy smile. "You don't mind if I leave now do you?" He stepped aside and she slipped through the door without another word, glad to get away from them as quickly as possible. At least I managed to keep my cool, she told herself approvingly. Fighting those guys would have landed me on everyone's hit list, and I don't need to be making enemies in my own class on the first day. Putting her hands in the pockets of her baggy black pants, Kumiko strolled leisurely towards her classroom.

Back in the bathroom, all three boys were looking at each other with serious faces.

"I guess that conversation came sooner than expected," Pon began, but Mako cut him off.

"I don't like this guy. Something's off," he said shortly, never one for words.

"Oh, come on!" Pon whined. "Did you see how tiny he was? That guy is no threat, and he doesn't seem like the type to refuse orders."

"I agree with Mako," Hiromi said quietly. "This Yamaguchi might not be here to make trouble, but I feel like he could be trouble if it comes to a fight. Didn't you notice how easily he sidestepped the two of you?" he pointed out. Pon smirked again.

"Puh-lease! Until you can show me something more solid than that, I'm not gonna believe it," he declared. "We should introduce ourselves next time. Maybe he'd make a good underling?" Hiromi watched as his friend laughed again and sighed. Whatever the other two thought, he was pretty sure this Yamaguchi… What was his other name? Whatever. Yamaguchi didn't seem like someone they should just kick around.

I'll keep an eye on him for now, he decided. Waiting and watching will give me more information to work with. Without another word, he too left the bathroom and headed for class, the other two close on his heels.